Container seal



Aug. 28, 1956 F, w. MCKINNON 2,760,666

CONTAINER SEAL.

Filed July 9, 1953 [N VENTOR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent CONTAINER SEAL Francis W. McKinnon, Hagerstown, Ind. Application July 9, 1953, Serial No. 366,907

4 Claims. (Cl. 215-46) This invention relates to caps for containers, such as milk bottles or the like, and in particular a cap having a diaphragm actuated split flange closing the lower end whereby with vacuum in the cap the diaphragm is drawn upwardly and in the upward movement thereof the sections of the split flange are drawn inwardly into sealing relation with the outer surface of the neck of a bottle or other container.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a positive seal in a container closure whereby the container remains sealed until the seal is manually broken.

Caps of various types and designs have been crimped over beads or rims on the upper ends of milk bottles and the like, however, in such devices the sealing action is dependent upon the stiffness inherent in the material of the cap and when the edge of the cap is accidently damaged contents of a container upon which the cap is positioned are exposed. With this thought in mind this invention contemplates a container cap having a cavity therein with the lower end closed with a diaphragm of resilient material whereby upon removing air from the cavity of the cap the diaphragm bows upwardly at the center drawing the edges into positive sealing relation with the outer surface of the neck of a container over which the cap is positioned.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a vacuum actuated sealing flange in a cap providing a closure for containers in which the cap positively seals the container as long as vacuum remains therein and in which release of the vacuum causes the cap to release its engagement with the container.

Another object of the invention is to provide a vacuum actuated sealing cap for containers and the like in which the cap is adapted to be applied to containers now in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a vacuum actuated sealing cap which is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies a cap having a peripheral wall with a flange formed with divided sections carried by the lower edge and with a diaphragm of resilient material and reinforced with a thin liner positioned in and providing a closure for the lower end whereby with air withdrawn from a cavity in the cap the diaphragm actuates sections of the flange to grip a neck of a container upon which the cap is positioned and upon release of the vacuum in the cap with a prong positioned in a recess in the upper end thereof the diaphragm drops to a horizontal position spreading the section of the flange of the cap.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the improved vacuum actuated cap showing the cap in position on the upper end of a neck of a container with the cap sealing the container, the neck of which is shown in broken lines.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the cap.

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Figure 3 is a vertical section of the cap taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 showing the diaphragm and sealing flange with the vacuum in the cap released.

Figure 4 is a side elevational .view of the cap.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts the improved container sealing cap of this invention includes a continuous wall 10, sections 11 separated by slits 12 providing a bulging flange depending from the lower edge'of the wall 10, a top 13 having a well or recess 14 in the intermediate portion, the recess having a continuous wall 15 and a base 16 and having a prong 17 secured therein, and a diaphragm 18 with a disc 19 providing a liner forming a closure for the lower end of the cap and also providing a lining for the inner surfaces of the sections 11 of the depending flange. The disc 19 may be made of rubber or any similar sealing material.

In the design shown the peripheral edge 20 of the liner 19 is adapted to be positioned in a recess 21 of a neck 22 of a container with the depending edge 23 of the diaphragm 18 extending below the edge 21 and positioned against the inner surfaces of the sections 11 of the flange.

With the parts arranged in this manner the cap is placed over the end of the neck of the bottle with the parts, as illustrated in Fig. 3 and as air is withdrawn from the cavity 24 in the cap the sections 11 are drawn inwardly from the positions shown in Fig. 3 to the positions shown in Fig. l with the diaphragm 18 moving upwardly as air is withdrawn from the cavity in the cap. The simplest manner that can be used for withdrawing air from the cap is by way of a hand operated pump such as might be designed as shown in Patent 2,648,474. An opening is made in the cap, the air is withdrawn and the opening sealed. The invention, however, is restricted to the cap and not to the manner of withdrawing the air from the cap.

With the diaphragm 18 and the liner 19 retained in the upwardly bowed positions, as shown in Fig. 1, the sections 11 of the depending flange of the cap are held inwardly gripping the outer surface of the neck 22 of the container and forcing the lower edge 23 of the resilient material of the diaphragm against the outer surface of the neck.

With the cap secured on the neck of the container in this manner it will be held by the vacuum and will be positively clamped in position; so that it will not be accidently displaced in shipment or as bottles are de livered.

The cap remains in position with the open end of the container sealed until it is desired to use the material from the container at which time the prong 17, which is secured preferably by welding to the inner surface of the wall 15 is pressed downwardly by the thumb or finger of a hand whereby a point 25 on one end thereof punctures the wall 15, as shown in Fig. 3, thereby relieving the vacuum in the cavity 24. The prong 17 is arcuate with the base secured to the wall 15 at the point 26 and with the length of the prong greater than the inside diameter of the wall 15 the straightening movement of the prong causes the point 25 to pierce or puncture the wall 15.

In the use of the sealing cap on milk bottles and the like the caps are applied to the bottles in the bottling plant and the bottles are positively sealed until use of the contents thereof is desired.

The caps are inexpensive and are destroyed after use.

It will be understood that modifications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a container having a neck, a

sealing closure. cap comprising a casing having-a depending flange, a diaphragm extended across and closing the lower 'end of the casing, said diaphragm being actuated by the withdrawal of air from the casing thereby creating a vacuum in the casing to draw the depending flange into gripping relation with. the container, neck upon which. thecap is positioned, and a prong carried by the, cap for,

pentrating said cap. to. relieve, the. vacuum therein,

2. In combination with a container having a. neck, a sealing closure cap comprising. a casing. having a depending flange with vertically disposed. slits. therein, a diaphragm extended across and closing the lower end of the casing, a liner positioned against the under surface. of

the diaphragm, said diaphragm and liner being actuated by the withdrawal of air from the casing. thereby creating the vacuum in the casing. to draw the. depending flange into gripping relation with the container neck upon which the cap is positioned, and a prong carried by the cap. for puncturing said cap to relieve the vacuum therein.

3. In combination with a container having a neck, a sealing closure cap comprising a casing having a. con tinuous outer wall with. a depending flange carried by the lower edge of the wall and having a top providing a closure at the upper end of the wall, a diaphragm of resilient material extended across and closing the lower end of the casing, said diaphragm providing a lining for the inner surface of said depending flange, a disc positioned against the outer surface of the diaphragm, said diaphragm bowing upwardly upon the withdrawal of air from the casing and said parts positioned so that upward movement of the diaphragm the depending flange is contracted to grip the outer surface of the neck of the container upon which the cap is positioned, and a prong carried by the cap for puncturing the casing to relieve vacuum therein.

4. In a sealing cap for use on a container, having a neck with an opening therethrough, the combination which comprises a flange havihg a lining of resilient material positioned over. the neck of the container, at diaphragm extended across the upper edge of the flange, a casing having a cavity therein extended upwardly from the flange, a prong positioned in said cavity for puncturing the casing, and said cavity being positioned over the diaphragm so that withdrawal of a-i-r from the casing by the puncturing of said casing by said prong forces the diaphragm downwardly and the depending flange outwardly out of gripping relation with the outer surface of the neck of the container.

References Cited in the. file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hothersall Dec. 17, 1929 

